by Bayano Valy in Zanzibar – SANF 05 no 94
Counting of ballots cast in Zanzibar polls took place in a spirit of cooperation among party agents, auguring a good finish to the whole electoral process.
The Zanzibar archipelago comprising the two main islands of Unguja and Pemba went ahead with the poll as planned on 30 October, although the Union elections in the United Republic of Tanzania were postponed following the death of an opposition vice-presidential candidate.
So Zanzibaris voted on Sunday to elect their president, members of the House of Representatives and local councillors. They will vote again on 18 December together with the mainland for the Union president and parliament.
Polling stations closed at 5pm on Sunday as prescribed by law. Then polling officers, party agents and the police helping to maintain order were given time for prayers and to prepare to break their fast – most Zanzibaris are Moslems and the fasting month of Ramadhan is fully observed.
Counting then started some one and a half hours after the close of polling stations. The process followed the earlier pattern: orderliness and very little bickering among party officials.
In most polling stations visited by SANF, party agents were quick to say there were hardly any problems, and they readily signed the polling sheets confirming the results.
This positive trend will help to render the process free, fair and transparent and make it easier for political parties to accept the final outcome.
In previous polls, the main opposition party, the Civic United Front (CUF), claimed the process had been rigged. The Zanzibar Election Commission (ZEC) conduct of the polls this time around could receive the backing of CUF’s leader, Seif Shariff Hamad, who on voting day expressed satisfaction with the orderly and transparent manner in which the elections were being conducted.
“If things go as smoothly as they’ve so far, we’ll have no problems accepting the results,” he said.
CUF party seals were also placed on the ballot boxes, leaving very little room for any fraud claims, according to observers.
There continues to be heavy security in the islands to avoid any violence that has occasionally flared up on the islands in past elections.
The figures on the number of Zanzibaris who voted are not yet available, but turn out is expected to be very high. Until close of polls there were still people in queues, and they were allowed to vote in accordance with the law.
Zanzibar has 509,906 registered voters spread across 50 constituencies.
There are six presidential candidates of whom one is a woman; 219 candidates to the House of Representatives (196 men and 23 women); and 340 ward and council candidates (28 of these are women).
Announcement of results is expected on Wednesday. (SARDC)
